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Barrenworld: Rise of the Red Sun
After coming to the stark realization that they were deceived by a close and trusted ally, the surviving members of the Collective struggle to find purpose in the new apocalyptic, war-torn world around them. When their paths inevitably cross, they begin a new quest to discover the truth and secrets behind the Warlord’s Chalice. Their journey soon leads them into new and uncharted territory, where they must face trials unimagined with nothing to rely on but blind faith and the words of ancient texts.
620 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 2, 2023
About the author
J. Edwards Holt
25 books6 followersJ. Edwards Holt is an American author who has always harbored a passion for writing. After initially pursuing a degree in education, he followed his heart to become a novelist and children's author. Now celebrated as a bestselling author, Holt is also an ordained minister and a dedicated mental health advocate. In his free time, he enjoys reading and actively contributes to the well-being of the less fortunate in his community. His works often carry Christian messages and he delights in the realms of science fiction and superheroes, with a notable collection of comic books to his name.
Holt's literary contributions include the haunting tale "The Crossing: A Wayfarer’s Chronicles," and the award-winning children's book "The Jealous Little Ogre," which clinched the Golden Wizard Book Prize. He is also known for his Barrenworld series and his involvement in the anthology "Called to Intercede," which topped the Amazon Best Seller List. Beyond his novels, Holt has expressed his creativity through poetry and has been recognized for his efforts in translating important works to reach a wider audience.
Holt's literary contributions include the haunting tale "The Crossing: A Wayfarer’s Chronicles," and the award-winning children's book "The Jealous Little Ogre," which clinched the Golden Wizard Book Prize. He is also known for his Barrenworld series and his involvement in the anthology "Called to Intercede," which topped the Amazon Best Seller List. Beyond his novels, Holt has expressed his creativity through poetry and has been recognized for his efforts in translating important works to reach a wider audience.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
April 14, 2023
I was granted complimentary audiobook acccess to Barrenworld: Rise of the Red Sun by the author, J. Edwards Holt, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you as always for the opportunity! My thoughts are my own and my review is honest.
This is quite possibly the best installment yet in the Barrenworld series! It has all the whimsical adventure of the previous books, and all the classic high fantasy elements that were instilled as essential by the great fantasy authors long ago. It's also funny at times, and remembers not to take itself too seriously. This one, though, this one is also touching, heartbreaking, and full of treasured characters making noble, selfless decisions. This is both the sort of book that could serve as a very satisfying conclusion to a great series or be used to bridge the gap between eras in an ongoing story. Whichever it proves to be, I think it'll be my favourite of the Barrenworld books.
I don't want to give too much of the plot away, but this is a reluctant hero/unlikely hero choses to make the ultimate selfless act sort of story, and although I had a pretty good idea of where the story was going partway through, the payoff was so much better, so much more devastating, and so much more uplifting than I expected.
Oh, and that comic relief? Best set of lines in the book: "Did you EAT him?" "I told you I was hungry!" (Forgive me if that's not exact. I was listening to the audiobook, after all!)
As always, Joel Jackson's narrative performance was a pleasure to listen to. The story is easy to listen to, the multiple characters and points of view easy to keep track of, and the pacing is perfect. If there are more Barrenworld books to come, I hope that Joel continues to get the narration job, because at this point he is the voice of this wonderful world.
This is quite possibly the best installment yet in the Barrenworld series! It has all the whimsical adventure of the previous books, and all the classic high fantasy elements that were instilled as essential by the great fantasy authors long ago. It's also funny at times, and remembers not to take itself too seriously. This one, though, this one is also touching, heartbreaking, and full of treasured characters making noble, selfless decisions. This is both the sort of book that could serve as a very satisfying conclusion to a great series or be used to bridge the gap between eras in an ongoing story. Whichever it proves to be, I think it'll be my favourite of the Barrenworld books.
I don't want to give too much of the plot away, but this is a reluctant hero/unlikely hero choses to make the ultimate selfless act sort of story, and although I had a pretty good idea of where the story was going partway through, the payoff was so much better, so much more devastating, and so much more uplifting than I expected.
Oh, and that comic relief? Best set of lines in the book: "Did you EAT him?" "I told you I was hungry!" (Forgive me if that's not exact. I was listening to the audiobook, after all!)
As always, Joel Jackson's narrative performance was a pleasure to listen to. The story is easy to listen to, the multiple characters and points of view easy to keep track of, and the pacing is perfect. If there are more Barrenworld books to come, I hope that Joel continues to get the narration job, because at this point he is the voice of this wonderful world.
Displaying 1 of 1 review